Esmond Larkin: Road To The Silver Conference
by ClaudeRose
Summary: After a sling of incidents Esmond Larkin is forced to embark on a journey through the Johto region in order to collect 8 badges, make it to The Silver Conference and reunite with an old lover and his sister who mysteriously disappeared two years ago. A coming-of-age story with realistic characters set in the wonderful world of Pokémon.
1. Chapter 1

(So, my story will be very different than the other Pokémon-stories on this website. The main character in my novel will be a nineteen-year-old boy named Esmond Larkin. Esmond is a gay, normal teenager living in the modern world. After a sling of incidents he's forced to embark on a journey through the Johto region in order to collect eight badges, make it to the Silver Conference and find someone who he has grown to really care about. My characters aren't twelve or thirteen, because I have always felt like it was so unrealistic for kids that age to go traveling the world on their own. Esmond and the people he comes across on his journey are all late teens or adults and thus the footage might be a little bit more shocking. I'm not trying to turn this novel into a story which is only based on sex, drugs and rock 'n roll, because the world of Pokémon is so daring and great to work with; but I won't deny that Esmond isn't a very dull teen and he will definitely be flirting with disaster along the way. English also isn't my first language, so I apologize beforehand for some grammatical errors I will make. Now, let's get started!)

 _001\. A New Beginning_

With a splitting headache I open the windows to my shabby yet comfortable room. The room is part of a house I am sharing with different students, although I normally don't see much of them. Either they are out partying all night, or I am. Sometimes I stay the night with another boy, another men who pays for my taxi and offers me a bed that is big enough for two. I have to admit: the only thing negative about this student apartment is the fact that I can't invite other guys over.

As the busy sounds of the city streets underneath my window make their way to my ears, I light a cigarette and put on some music.

''You're my only badge,'' a hushed voice dances through the room, ''You're my only gym-leader.''

I inhale, blow out my smoke and turn the music a little louder. If there is someone else still sleeping, I don't really care if they are woken up. I have lost count on all the occasions where I had been woken up in the morning by people taking showers or one-night-stands ending in arguments.

''… You're my only gym-leader…''

Ah- The Pokémon world. Such a magical, mythical, dangerous yet exciting world… At-least if you believe the news and the battles that are featured on television. Until I was fourteen, I had dreamed about becoming a Pokémon trainer. Every morning I ran outside, looking at Pidgey's flying across the sky; trying to catch a Caterpie and begging my parents to buy me an Aipom for my birthday.

But normal children go to school first. My parents weren't bugging.

''Normal children first learn,'' they told me, ''learn how to take care of your own Pokémon. How to travel alone. First you have to learn about money, about geographics, about speaking different languages, you have to grow up and get a job to earn money.''

Before going on a story just as exciting as I would see on television, first I had to graduate. That's basically what they meant. And that's what I tried to do, at first. I was sixteen, seventeen, and the end of the Pokémon Academy was getting closer. I was the pretty, shy lad in the corner just working on paintings of Pokémon; writing poems about Pokémon or making up stories, instead of really paying attention to what was told during the lessons. I failed. I failed my final tests and as a result there was no way I would receive a Pokémon from the lab in Mahogany Town, where I lived at the time. Around me friends were getting their first Pokémon. At first they would say how they would remain at Mahogany Town, how they would just sometimes go out into the forest to spy for wild Pokémon; how they would make a trip to a city nearby to get a badge but ''Don't worry! I'll be home in the weekends!'' And before I knew it, all my friends were gone.

That's when I decided that this wasn't for me. I left as well, but not with the dream of becoming a Pokémon master still in my head. Instead, I left with nothing but two bags: one bag filled with clothes, and one bag filled with art pieces that I created.

By using the little money I had spared I tried to make my way to Goldenrod City. I had to give one man a hand-job in order for him to take me; and I had to spend three hours in a van with a couple and their seven Mareep, but eventually I made it to Goldenrod City. I made it! See? I was just like my friends- getting out of Mahogany Town; making it on my own… But without a Pokémon.

I applied at The Goldenrod United School of Arts and got accepted. That's when the life of being an artist started. Nights of drinking, smoking, creating art, having sex with men (and a few women at times); doing drugs; going to shabby concerts and spending the days with hangovers, working on my next art-project.

I'm not in the need of a Pokémon anymore. A Pokémon! As if without we as human can't be complete! At the School of Arts not many people have a Pokémon. We have a few Pokémon walking around helping us with stuff, like Smeargle's. But no, I don't have to become a Pokémon trainer anymore. All I need is a hot man to keep me warm at night at times; enough cigarettes and inspiration and good coffee in the morning.

Good coffee in the morning. Not much later I eye the street before I cross it, making my way to Tauros' Coffee, owned by my great friend Willbrand, my favourite place to get coffee and start the morning sketching and writing a little bit.

''Morning Es!'' Willbrand greets me. He's almost thirty; has a beard and a heart of gold. I actually met him a few times out in the city. One time Willbrand was throwing up and I called a cab for him, and a few nights later I got into an argument with a guy who dared to pull out a Pokéball with a Charizard in it to light me on fire. Ofcourse I knew he was bluffing so I told him I wasn't afraid of him, but then he pulled out a knife. Willbrand passed by, pushed the guy over and introduced himself to me. He's one of my few friends her in Goldenrod City. The city is so extremely huge that you can very easily disappear into the crowd.

''Same as always?'' Will asks me, and I nod my head. I search for a place in a corner, and Will sits down in front of me.

''It's actually busier than yesterday,'' I tell him. Will raises an eyebrow. With the two of us, there are only two other people in the store: a woman who's eating a small piece of carrot cake and who's looking to leave, and a middle-aged man in the distance, reading a newspaper.

''You're such a bad liar,'' Will laughs and I can't help but laugh with him. Will has told me a few weeks ago how business is doing bad for Tauros.

''I have to get more customers, or I'm going to close the place,'' he told me. Now every day I try to cherish him up and act as if Tauros is still doing great.

''How are you doing?'' Will asks. I take a sip from my coffee.

''I'm doing great… Went to sleep on my own again… Woke up alone again… It's so refreshing to not spend every night of the week in another bed.''

We laugh a little, but then Will's eyes get serious.

''You do know which day it is today, right?'' He asks me and at first I don't remember, but then I look at the newspaper in front of me. It's The Day.

The Day My Sister Died. I swallow and reach for my cigarettes. Will acts as if he doesn't sees it. The woman with the carrot cake looks in our distance, puts down her money and leaves the store. Three years ago on this day my older sister died. Her name was Carmen. They say she got into a car-accident, but I know better than that. Carmen was an excellent driver. I think she witnessed something and someone hit her on accident. Her car hasn't been found, only her body. Burned, but not entirely.

After Carmen's death, there was no reason for me to keep in touch with home. She was always the binding factor in our family. I simply couldn't take my father's dead eyes, and my mother's constant crying. I hope they're doing great in Mahogany Town.

I get woken up from my daydreams by the middle-aged man who used to sit in the corner.

''I thought smoking in her was forbidden?'' He asks. Will gives me stare, and stumbles: ''Ehm, yes… My friend here… Has a tough day, and-''

''So you can smoke inside?''

''Well, today- Yes.''

''In that case.'' The man reaches inside his pocket and grabs a pack of cigarettes. As he smiles at us, there are small laugh wrinkles in his cheeks and his dark, brown eyes seem happy. I was about to cry, thinking off Carmen, but now I'm only intrigued by the man. He grabs a chair and sits with us.

''My name is Caine. Caine Mortfield.''

''Esmond Larkin,'' I say.

''Willbrand Tauros,'' Will says, ''I own this place.'' But Caine only has eyes for me. He shakes my hand. His hand is strong. We both inhale or blow out smoke and it's quiet for a while.

''This is such a lovely town,'' Caine says.

''You don't live here?'' Willbrand asks.

''Where does someone lives? Wherever someone lays his head to rest at night? Well, in that case… I have lived in Goldenrod City over the years, but never for long. I have lived in many of towns, many of houses. Many of _beds_.''

He looks at me again during his last line. Without looking at Will I can tell that he's rolling his eyes, but I am intrigued by this man, by his words and by his expensive suit.

''So what brings you here?'' Will tries to get the conversation going.

''Pokémon,'' the man says. ''And Whitney. I have heard great stories about her.'' Actually, she's not that impressive to me. Every day people come over to Goldenrod City to challenge her. Most of the times I can pick the trainers out of the crowd as I make my way from the School of Arts back home: some of them look over-confident, others look extremely insecure. I only saw Whitney once: She was making her way down town; looking worried, with pink hair undone and with allot of groceries under her arm.

''So you're a trainer?'' I ask.

''No. I am interested in trainers. I am interested in providing for those trainers what they need.''

Okay. So he's a sugar daddy. He's probably thinking me or Will (who's not even gay) are willing to give up our body and our self-worth in order to get some poke-dollars or maybe a Pokéball. People use pokéballs as money sometimes. I've experienced it. If I would have said yes to every offer I received, I would have a dozen of Ledyba, Magnemite and Weedle's to feed and take care off.

''Well, we're not trainers,'' I tell Caine, hoping he will back off. He laughs a little and inhales from his cigarette again.

''Who's to say who is and who isn't a trainer? I have seen men and women with lots of trainers who, in my honest opinion, shouldn't be naming themselves a trainer. There's a huge difference between a trainer and someone who owns a couple of Pokémon.''

''Well, we also don't have Pokémon,'' I say. I don't know if I should be irritated or fascinated by Caine. Beforehand, I always felt okay about not having Pokémon, but the few things he's saying are immediately changing my perspective.

''I have to get back to work. See you tomorrow, Ed.'' Will gives a small pat on the back, gives Caine one last look and then heads in the back to make more ice coffees.

Caine wants to know what brought me to Goldenrod City, and in short I tell him about failing the Pokémon School and about wanting to develop my creative side.

''Creativity is all that matters,'' he says. ''Creativity is the source for love, the source for art, the source for accepting the loss of lost ones.''

Carmen. The image of the dead corpse of my sister is still, after those years, a hard pill to swallow. I long for a glass of wine, or something more strong, even though I just woke up.

''I probably should be going to school, I suppose,'' I decide. Although I have one more hour until my first lesson starts, I want to clear my mind a little bit. It's not that Caine is pissing me off, but it's more of the fact that the way that he makes me feel is exhausting me. I don't know what to think at this moment.

''Ah, I understand,'' he says. ''I should probably get back to work as well. Allow me to invite you for tonight.''

''Tonight?''

Caine handles me a card of a restaurant.

''I'm having dinner tonight with some special people,'' he says. ''It would be lovely if you would show up.''

''But-''

''Don't feel forced to come, Edmond. It would be nice to see your face again and I'm not sure when I am leaving Goldenrod.''

I take the card.

''It was nice meeting you,'' he says and stands up. He drops a few bills on the table (allot more than the coffee did cost, I can see) and smiles one last time at me, before he leaves Tauros' and crosses the street.

''What was that all about?'' Will calls me not much later, while I am heading through the park and trying to make my way towards school. I explain that Caine offered me to join him at the restaurant this evening.

''The Emerald Berry?'' I can hear Will screaming through the phone, ''that place is extremely expensive! I knew he was some sort of sugar-daddy!''

''I don't think he is,'' I stutter.

''Yeah, well… Believe all you want. Just do it safe tonight.''

''Comes to mind… When are you going to do it again?'' I can't help but make a smart remark back. ''It didn't work out with that brown-haired girl from last week?''

''… No.''

''Told ya!''

''But she had such beautiful eyes…'' Will says, ''All I did the whole night was looking into those eyes.''

''And I will be doing tonight is eating delicious food from beautiful plates,'' I say.

''Take care,'' Will says and hangs up the phone.

The hours that follow, I spend my time at school getting lectures on the history of art; applying different attacks of Pokémon onto art pieces; the way badges are structured (turns out allot of those who seem ugly at first have a whole image behind them) and I spend some time listening to music and working on another painting.

Whatever I do or whatever lecture I follow, I can't help but think about Caine Mortfield. I am going to The Emerald Berry, that's something I have decided very quickly. Now rests the question what I will wear, how I will act (cold, slutty or somewhere in between) and how I can try to get a job at The Emerald Berry now I'm finally inside, without coming off too needy.

On my way back from school the image of Carmen pops up in my head again, but I don't want to think about her. There's nothing I can do anymore. We let her body be burned by the old Magmar that is used at the crematoria; I wrote dozens of songs about her; I spend hours with my parents and vague friends of Carmen bringing up memories; I tried to get a hold on the police reports on her death without success… There's nothing I can do. And still I sometimes wake up at night with the image of Carmen in my mind. The pictures on which her motionless body is laying down the road. Someone must have hit her! She was just there with her Abra. Although, that's what I suppose. Those two were always together, but after Carmen's death Abra was nowhere to be seen. Another thing that never was resolved.

While thinking about Carmen, her Abra, Caine and how I'm going to pay for a next pack of cigarettes – this one is getting empty faster than I expected – I eventually make it back home, where I decide to go for a black, skinny jeans, black Chelsea Boots and an oversized white blouse. This blouse, which I actually use to paint in – luckily for me I never poured paint over it – is the only thing I expect would look close to decent at _The Emerald Berry_. A bit of cologne, a glass of cheap red wine to give me some beer muscles, and then I am ready to go.

I feel a little bit uneasy standing in front of The Emerald Berry. Me and Caine didn't talked about a specific time to meet up or anything. I sort of expect him to arrive in a fancy car or something, but when I peak inside after ten minutes I catch a glimpse of him in the distance of the restaurant, and I make the frightening choice to enter the restaurant. Inside there's a butler approaching me.

''Are you in the right place, boy?'' He asks me, and although I am wearing my white blouse and I have tried to fix my hair, I can tell that hé can tell that I don't belong here.

''I have an appointment with Mr. Mortfield,'' I say.

''Right. Follow me, please.''

Without paying me another look he leads me to Caine's table. There's a woman sitting next to him.

''Esmond!'' Caine greets me and stands up. He's just slightly taller than me. We're not a good match, I can see. His black hair is starting to get grey at the edges, while mine is light blonde; my blouse and black jeans are no match for his expensive suit, and he seems to be totally at ease at this place.

He gives me a kiss on my cheek and makes a hand gesture, inviting me to sit down.

''It's so great that you came,'' Esmond says, ''I would like to introduce you to Whitney.''

I take another look at the woman sitting next to him and realize she's our gym leader. Whitney is wearing a white fur coat, with her dark pink hair pushed back. She's wearing allot of make-up and I can see how her eyes used to be young and filled with life. Now she's mid-way her thirties, I guess. It's clear how all the Gym battles have turned her old.

''Pleasure to meet you,'' she says. The butler is back and asks what I want to eat, as I order French fries with baked tomatoes and creamy mushrooms, and a glass of white wine.

''You guys know each-other?'' I ask them.

''We do'' says Whitney. ''Caine used to guide me when I was younger, around my early twenties. I got…''

She hesitates a little and continues: ''I got a little tired from all the battling. It wasn't fun anymore, you know. But he told me that I owned it to all those trainers. Everyone trying to make it to the league…''

I take another look at Caine.

''Whitney is about to retire from being a Gym Leader,'' Caine explains. ''It's such a shame, but sometimes things like these are inevitable. It's not only the Pokémon: trainers get tired as well. I told her to just have one more battle.''

''One more battle and then I'm going back to the farm of my father.'' Whitney seems to be happy about the idea.

''Why did you invite me here?'' I want to know from Caine. Did he invited me to tell me this? Me, without a Pokémon, without something to offer to this table?

''You're a wise boy, Esmond. And you're smart. You're the kind of smart that people become when they have experienced allot. You would make a great trainer.''

''I'm not interested in that part,'' I say, and I actually still mean it. ''I want to live a life based on art and music. I don't waste my time traveling through abandoned forests trying to battle trainers who – with all the respect to you, Whitney – aren't happy themselves, in order to become the greatest leader of all time. I'm not like the rest.''

''And especially that makes you such a great fit.''

My food is brought and I take a few bites.

''Maybe you can create art and music with your battles,'' Caine suggests, but I act as if I haven't heard him, drink my wine and order a new glass.

Caine has obviously gotten my hint, because the rest of the conversation is actually pretty entertaining and light-hearted. We talk about a few of Whitney's battles, about her father who's sick, about my favourite author (turns out Caine once met him in a pub), about Mahogany Town and more. In the end, Whitney stands up.

''I have six trainers awaiting me tomorrow,'' she mumbles. ''I have to catch some sleep. I'll see you later, Esmond.'' I just nod at her and remain with Caine. We talk more, but almost entirely about me. Caine doesn't seems to be much of a talker when it comes down to himself. As he orders a bottle of red wine and I get slightly tipsy, I end up telling about Carmen. How she died and how I still don't think it was an accident. How her Abra just disappeared. How I became a stranger from my own parents. How I spend my first days here just going out and hooking up with whoever could over me a bed to sleep. Caine grabs my hand when I talk about Carmen's dream of becoming a Pokémon master. She was always dreaming about badges and foreign lands.

We drink more wine and Caine doesn't let go of my hand, and after he pays the bill, without asking or feeling uneasy, I follow him to his cab, which takes us to a hotel he's sleeping in. In his room, he asks me to pick a song, and I pick the song ''My Leader''.

''You're my only gym-leader…'' a hushed voice sings, and as Caine dims a few lights, we undress each-other and make out and drink more wine and end up in his bed, where we smoke a cigarette and I eventually fall asleep.

This man… Is the last thought that irks my mind before my eyes close… I want this man to be my only gym-leader.

The next morning I wake up, expecting to see Caine next to me, but he has left the room. It is as if nothing of the night before happened. The ash-trays have been emptied: the empty bottle of wine has disappeared: his clothes are gone and there's not even the smell of his cologne in the room anymore.

I feel the need to cry. For some reason I feel stood up. I could have expected this from this man that I barely knew. Just a forty-year-old rich dude preying on the young and easy. How could I have fallen for his trap? Just wait until Will hears about this, I think, he's going to tell me: ''I told you so!'' Over and over again. I reach for my jeans, for my boots and get up.

Just when I am at the door and want to leave this hotel-room, which all of a sudden seems empty and hollow, my eyes catch what's laying on the table. It's a letter, laying next to a pokéball.

 _You will create art with your battles,_

The note says.

 _This is a gift to you. You two suit each-other. I will see you at the Silver Conference._

 _With kind regards,_

 _Caine._

So what is this? A present to me? This dude… He knows how I don't want to be a trainer. He knows how I just want a normal life. A life without the image of Carmen's death irking in the back of my mind; a life without having to spend my days on city-streets and walking through forests and cave trying to catch the Pokémon that scatter this earth… And he gives me a Pokémon. I actually can't believe it. I have a hangover and I feel confused.

Eventually however, I reach for the pokéball and open it, as a red light appears out of the ball and slowly develops into a Pokémon.

While barking quietly, the Houndour that is now standing in my room is licking her fur, looking at me with a facial expression that I can't place.

''So,'' is all I can say, ''welcome to the start of your new chapter.'' She bows her head a little and slowly walks towards as me, as she eventually lays down at my feet.

''I guess we'll be making our way to the Silver Conference, babe.''


	2. Chapter 2

_002._

I never in a million year expected to be the owner of a Pokémon, let alone a Houndour. I barely know anything about this creature in front of me, who's taking a nap at my feet. People like me aren't specialised in getting to know all of the hundreds of different Pokémon out there. All I know about Houndour is that they belong to the Fire-species and they often operate in packs. A few months ago I heard on the news how a young trainer and her Bellsprout got attacked by a pack of Houndour late at night. She was trying to catch one of them and then got surrounded by the others.

''Stupid trainer,'' I recall thinking, ''Look at you. Trying to take on a wild, dangerous Pokémon with your Bellsprout. Just go back to school. Go help your mom with the laundry and play with your friends. Leave the Pokémon world alone.''

And now I am a trainer myself. How does this work? My headache from last night is still going strong. I call Houndour back in her ball and make my way out of the hotel room. Back at my own place, I immediately call Will.

''I was just about to close the shop,'' he tells me. ''Let me guess… Your sugar daddy left? Told ya.''

''He left me with a Houndour.''

''I see you in five minutes,'' he immediately responds. ''I will put some whiskey in our coffees. God, Es. A Houndour?''

Yes, a true Houndour. I show him five minutes after our phone-call. Houndour looks at Will and then jumps up in the air, before making her way through the shop, sniffing at every plant and looking under every table. I tell Will the whole story: how I met Whitney, how me and Caine spent the night and then I show him the paper.

''You can easily bring Houndour to the Day-care,'' Will suggests, ''or maybe… sell it? Trade it with a trainer for allot of money?''

''I know,'' I say, ''but I don't want to.''

''Don't tell me you got attached to this… thing over there.'' Houndour has jumped upon a chair, who fell down with her and is now laying underneath it, trying to crawl her way out from underneath it.

''I don't know, Will. I feel like… I really connected with Caine. Like, he was different than the others.''

'"But he left you just the same. You're going to spend the following months training and traveling the world, trying to reach a one night stand? And then what?''

''Well, I have no idea,'' I once again have to admit. ''He trusted me. He trusted me with this Pokémon.''

''You're making no sense.'' Me and Will have switched to the bottle of whiskey, not caring about the coffee anymore. It's early in the morning, but we both can use a drink.

''I'm not saying I am happy about this, Will. I have to take care of a second person and I don't even have enough money to take care off myself. But maybe this is what's right for me. Maybe I can use my journey in a creative way. I could meet new people and make music with them, write songs…''

''A journey across the land to become a trainer isn't about painting art, Esmond!'' Will says. ''You're going to be in allot of harsh circumstances. You're going to be cold, alone, starving. Your little Houndour here is going to lose allot of battles.''

''So that's why I have to train her.''

''You don't have money.''

''I can sell my apartment.''

''You're serious?''

''I am.''

He's quiet for a while.

''You came in here knowing what your decision would be already,'' he realizes. I decide to play open cards with Will. He's my only friend and he deserves to know the truth.

''Aside from Caine, with who I'm still intrigued and who I still want to see again, there's another reason that I want to travel the world and explore what it has to offer,'' I say. ''It's about Carmen. Her death. Maybe, just maybe, I can find answers. Maybe the people who took her life is still out there and maybe I can defeat this person in a battle, before killing him. Maybe I can take vengeance for Carmen's death. And if I can't, if there's nobody out there who knows anything… I can still do her proud. She always wanted to become a trainer.''

Will looks at me.

''I never knew your sister,'' he says, ''but through your stories I have started to care about her. Maybe this is what you're meant to become. A trainer. A truth-seeker. Maybe, exactly because you don't care about always winning and becoming the best of the best, you will become so. You're humble, Esmond.''

He pours me a parting glass.

''Tell me when you're leaving,'' he says, ''I'll throw you a goodbye party.''

''I don't think I'm going any soon,'' I then say. ''There's someone in this town that I have to battle before I can leave.''

''Who- Ah. Whitney.'' He nods.

''We have to prepare you and that lady over there-'' He points at Houndour, who's coming our way, ''We have to prepare you, starting from scratch.''

The days that follow I don't spend any time at school. I tried to take Houndour with me one time, but she burned through the canvas of a fellow student, who started to curse us out until I had to gently push him to a wall and tell him to ''Fuck off'' in my nicest way possible. Instead I made a short phone-call to home. My mom picked up. We talked a little bit about Carmen and then I told my mom I wanted to become a trainer.

''I need money,'' I honestly told her, ''You still have something hidden away from when I would graduate, remember?''

She remembered.

''Take care, Esmond,'' she responded. ''I will talk to dad and he will make sure you get the money.''

I don't feel bad about asking my parents for money. At the end of the day, it's money that they put away for me. Instead now I won't use it to open my own gallery, but I will use it to buy food for Houndour, to buy a tent, good shoes, pokéballs and potions. What has my life turned into?

Me and Houndour spend the days and nights in my room working on her moves. She knows a move called Leer, which basically includes her looking at me with an angry look on her face. It doesn't really scares me, but that's because we have grown a little closer. She sometimes sleeps next to me or at my feet, and when I smoke I notice how she nods her head in the distance, probably happy with the little ember that comes from my cig. Ember is another move she can do. It's not really strong yet, but when I tell her: ''Houndour, Ember!'' She coughs up a few red-orange embers that drift through the room and then disappear as quick as they appeared. Then there are few other moves she can do, although they aren't developed yet: Roar, which apparently causes the foe to become so scared that he returns back in his pokéball; Bite (which she used a few times on me) and Smog, which created a thick, dark cloud in which I can't see anything anymore. One time I woke up when Houndour practiced the move, as I thought my room was on fire. Freaking out, I grabbed Houndour a few of my clothes, only for the smog to disappear and leave me in my boxers and the sweater that I always sleep in.

''I think it's time for your first battle,'' Will says after another few days of practicing the few moves that Houndour is able to perform.

''You're right,'' I tell him. ''But where?''

We quickly get an idea and, when Will is done with working, we both make our way to the Goldenrod City Gym. There are always people outside: tourists and people who are selling final products before trainers head inside, but there are also allot of trainers walking around, nervous for their encounter with Whitney.

Eventually I find someone who's willing to battle with me. He's somewhere around sixteen years old, I guess, based on the fact that he's a little smaller than I am and seems a little too confident.

''I just beat them in there,'' he brags. ''Whitney herself couldn't even battle me, so there was a replacement… Ha- They better fire that one. Me and my Muk defeated her within what- two seconds?''

Did I mention that he was too confident? It's better to say that this boy is cocky. Extremely cocky.

''Ofcourse I battle you,'' he says. ''I prepared all of my Pokémon, but I only had to use Muk. Where is a Garden?''

Gardens and Cages are special places where trainers can battle each-other. Although I don't believe it is actually forbidden, normally people don't fight on the streets. Not only will you receive allot of attention (which you don't like anymore once you have lost in front of the whole city), but it's also not safe. Cages are small squares with walls which you can use to battle each-other, although people also play soccer or tennis in them when it's sunny. Gardens are marooned, small fields with trees and bushes to keep you hidden away from the public places. I lead the guy, who turns out to be called Andy, to one of the gardens.

Will suggests to act as a referee. I didn't knew that Will knew any rules about actual Pokémon battles, but it doesn't surprises me that much. The last few days me and Will opened up to each-other. He told me how he has allot of nephews and uncles who own Pokémon. Although not particularly interested in becoming a trainer himself, he has saw enough battles.

''Both trainers will use one Pokémon,'' he tells us. ''As soon as one Pokémon can't continue to fight, the game is over. Ready- Set- Go!''

''Yanma!'' They boy screams.

''Houndour, let's go!''

At the same time, two red lights emerge into two Pokémon. I hate the fact that I still don't know a Pokédex. There's almost nothing I know about this flying bug in front of me and Houndour. However, I won't let that fact stop me and Houndour from winning. We have practiced her attacks for days now in my room and in Will's back garden, but now is the moment that truly matters.

''Yanma, use Sonic Boom!'' Andy screams.

The bug who's flying in the air is flapping its wings at such an extremely speed that shockwaves appear to be created, as they suddenly fly towards Houndour. Oh no! Oh God! Houndour has to- Too late.

''Dour!'' I can hear Houndour as she's hit by the shockwave coming our way. She flies through the air and smashes to the ground two meters further. What am I doing? I have to make decisions. I have to think rapidly. But things are happening so fast!

''Yanma, use Quick Attack!'' Andy now orders. Yanma appears, disappears, appears… while coming closer very fast.

''Houndour, do-'' I try to scream, but again, Houndour is hit by the attack. She starts barking and growling, and I realize how she's not only getting weaker, but also getting more angry. She's looking at me. Houndour is relying on me, I realize. She doesn't do anything unless I give her the order. I'm a trainer. We have to think alike. I have to say something, so she can follow me and my thoughts. We're going to win this.

''Yanma, another Sonic Boom!'' Yanma starts flapping his wings again and another harsh breeze of electronic waves is coming our way.

''Houndour, use Smog!'' I scream. ''And follow up with Ember!'' Houndour nods and barks loudly. As she opens her mouth, a thick black fog is released from it. Yanma's Sonic Boom doesn't reach Houndour, but instead hits the smoke. As the Sonic Boom drifts away the black smog, Houndour's Ember is already shifting through the air at a high speed. This is the best version I have seen thus far. Houndour is really trying her best this battle. The small embers hit Yanma in his chest, as the bug is smashed towards one of the trees standing around the battle-field.

As Yanma flies back up, Houndour gets a second to recover.

''Another Ember!'' I ask, but Yanma knows how to dodge the second attack.

''Quick Attack,'' Andy orders. Yanma comes flying our way again.

''Roar, Houndour!'' Houndour lets out her loudest bark yet, and frightened by the sound, Yanma bounces back, unable to perform his attack.

''Use your leer to lower Yanma's defence!'' I scream. Houndour's eyes light up red, as Yanma is clearly getting more and more intimidated by Houndour. My Houndour. It's obvious how Andy is getting frustrated. Clearly the battle isn't going as he planned.

''Yanma, use Double Team!'' He screams. All of a sudden there are twenty or even more Yanma flying in the sky, without me or Houndour being able to find out who the real one is. Slowly they are flying towards Houndour, who doesn't knows where to look.

''Quick Attack, now!'' Andy screams. From the bottom of the large group of Yanma the real one rapidly flies towards Houndour and hits her full in the chest. Houndour flies through the sky and smashes down to the ground.

''Yanma, Sonic Boom!''

''Houndour, please get up!'' I ask Houndour. She's shaking on her feet, but can still stand. However, there's another Sonic Boom coming our way. Then I get an idea.

''Houndour! You have to trust me!'' I tell Houndour, and she barks quietly. ''Use Ember but aim it on the ground!'' She does, and because of the strength of her small flaming bubbles, she's launched into the sky, just when the Sonic Boom hits. Because Houndour is already in the sky, the Sonic Boom blows her into one of the trees that are surrounding the Garden.

''Now! Jump onto Yanma and use your Bite!'' I scream. I hope this works: Bite is clearly the most difficult attack for Houndour to practice, but I have faith in her. Houndour runs, jumps out of the tree and towards Yanma, who she grabs by one wing with her jaw. As they both are falling to the ground, Houndour gives a swing to Yanma's wing, as Yanma is eventually smashed to a tree, just when Houndour hits the ground. Hard. Yanma hits the tree and falls down.

For a while it's unsure whether or not the two can stand up, but eventually Houndour tries to get up and eventually sits down, clearly tired but still standing. Yanma however can't move anymore.

''Yanma can't participate anymore!'' Will screams, ''Houndour wins!''

We did it! A feeling I almost can't describe, but which comes most close to being proud and being relieved overfills me, while Andy lets Yanma returns into his pokéball and leaves the Garden without another word. I immediately run towards Houndour, who seems happy the battle is over.

''You did such a great job,'' I tell her. ''This is what we worked for in my room. I'm so proud of you.''

She nods and then closes her eyes.

''Let's get her to a Pokécenter,'' Will says. ''Seriously Es. What a game.''

I have never been to a Pokécenter. For some reason, all the nurses inside have pink hair and most of them are called Joy, which makes it a little hard when one of them tells me: ''Sister Joy will keep you posted on the health of your Houndour,'' because I don't know which of the twelve women running up and down the hall she means. Me and Will both sit down in a chair. There are allot of trainers sitting around. It's logical, because the Goldenrod City Gym is just around the corner. I wanted to go with Houndour, but the sisters wouldn't let me. They seemed surprised when I didn't knew that I couldn't go with my Pokémon.

''Let the Chansey take care of it,'' They simply told me, a little frustrated when I permitted to go. Eventually Will had to sit me down.

''I don't know if I can take this stress after every battle,'' I tell him. ''I have to buy potions. I have to get studied on those berries they sell on every street corner. And I for sure need a Pokédex,'' I think out loud and Will agrees with me.

''It will be fine,'' he says ''Maybe you can make a bet the next time. I heard how more trainers do so. Millionaires have been made from fighting and placing the right bet at the right duel. You got money from your parents right? Use that to buy a Pokédex. We still need to buy a good backpack for you and a tent, I can get started with getting to know about berries tomorrow after work, and-''

''Why are you doing this?'' I interrupt Will. ''I mean, we're friends, Will, that's for sure. But you have your business. You're missing out on customers and money because me and Houndour are destroying halve of your shop by her failed Ember attacks. You're so involved with the whole process, Will. Why?''

''Because…'' He's quiet for a while. He makes a hand gesture and I realize what he means. A little later we're smoking outside the Pokécenter. Here, outside a health center, there are more people smoking than I have ever seen in my whole life. Apparently the fear of your Pokémon being unhealthy, turns you into a smoker with bad health yourself.

''I want to come with you,'' Will eventually decides. I want to say something, but he tells me to let him speak.

''I am thirty, Es. When I was younger, when I was around twenty-two, twenty-three… My own shop seemed so great to me. Working on my own time… A little flirting with my customers… If I didn't felt like it I just didn't opened the shop. But the world is much bigger than that. The world isn't serving up cups of coffee five days a week, and spending my weekends getting drunk on cheap beer. I want to join you. I want to see the world, I want to see new cities- maybe meet a nice girl, catch a Pokémon and start a family.''

''You're more than welcome,'' I say. We blow out smoke and are quiet for a while.

''Is it weird that I am scared?'' I ask Will. ''I mean… Maybe we're never coming back to Goldenrod City. Maybe we will die on the road, attacked by wild Pokémon.''

''It's not crazy at all,'' he says. ''But we'll be fine. It's never too late to start living, Esmond.''

After two hours of making plans together, we can finally pick Houndour up. She looks better: healthy, although she is still a little tired from her first battle ever. As Houndour walks with us, me and Esmond make our way back home. We have decided to start renting my apartment, while also putting his coffee shop up for sale. As soon as both are rented, I will try to battle whoever replaces Whitney at the Goldenrod City Gym.

Although I expected to be all hyped up after my battle with Andy, I find it too early for any real battles yet, and thus I spend my days making walks towards the outside areas of Goldenrod City, where there are fields and small bushes in which me and Houndour battle Caterpie, Pidgey, Ledyba and a Pineco who seems lost and turns out to be hard to beat because he keeps on using Protect. As the days pass, the normal life continues. Will works even more shifts at Tauros Coffee, because he wants to earn as many money before we go.

''Don't worry about the money,'' he once told me during a late night talk, ''You don't have allot, I have after I sell the shop and empty my safe. We just throw it all together and share. You're my friend, Esmond. That's what friends do. They help each-other out.''

As Houndour gets stronger, she develops more speed and I even see her grow a little. Sometimes I feel a little guilty towards Caine. But what did he expect? For me to go out into the woods with an Houndour who never fought one single Pokémon? Without money? It's been three weeks since he left me and I haven't even moved more than a few miles out of the city.

Everything gets into motion when Will one evening shows up at my door with great news and a few pizza's.

''Someone's interested,'' he smiles. ''An anonymous person called me, didn't said his name. Said he wanted to give a friend of his a nice birthday present.''

''He's buying Tauros Coffee as a birthday present?''

''Yes!'' Will laughs. ''Crazy, huh? But I'm not asking too many questions. Now it's just your apartment and we're free to go.''

The next day I take Houndour on a walk through the park and then head over the University. I haven't been around for long, but I want to speed things up. I want to leave this city. Eventually I find a girl that I sometimes hang out with after school. Her name is Diana, always wearing black with her blonde ponytail sleeked pushed back. She plays guitar and is really rich. That's pretty much all I know about her, but then again, she knows even less about me.

''Hey Es,'' she greets me when we're both walking through the hallway and I grab her arm. ''Haven't seen you in a long time.''

''That's right,'' I say. ''I've been busy with things. I… received, a Pokémon.''

She stands still in the hallway and looks at me, interested.

''What kind of Pokémon?''

''A Houndour.''

''Really? Oh, I would love to see him!''

''Her. It's a her.''

''Well congratulations, Esmond! You're becoming a Pokémon trainer now!''

''Yeah, well…'' I say, ''I can't leave until I have sold my apartment. So I was thinking…''

''You want me to buy your apartment?'' She laughs. ''Oh, Esmond, I am doing fine in my own house. It's right outside the city. It's just me and my mom. It's big, with a big lane…''

Besides not wanting to rent my apartment, she's also making me jealous, intentional or not. I'm about to brush her off, when she grabs my hand and looks me in my eyes.

''But I love a place to use as a gallery,'' she smiles. ''Esmond, although we don't know each-other that well… I always liked you. The way you go around school with that mysterious, dizzy look on your face… Always running late, always smoking, always with nice stories about your midnight flings… I will rent your place, Esmond. So you can do what you have wanted for as long as I have known you.''

''That's not true…'' I mumble, but she starts laughing harder.

''You might not have knew it yourself, but I always saw it in your eyes. Just send the price and details to the office of my dad.'' She gives me a card from her father's business and gives me kiss on my cheek.

''You're a good kid, Esmond,'' she says and then she's gone.

Now that my apartment and Will's shop have been taken care off, I find it's time for another real battle. Through the weeks me and Houndour have been battling enough wild, weak Pokémon. I want to face another trainer, someone else with a brain and his own strategy. A challenge.

When I approach a girl named Tiffany about doing a one on one battle, she immediately agrees.

''I haven't done one in a while,'' she admits, ''but I am here for my second badge, and I could definitely use some more training.''

We meet up that evening at one of the Cages. Since Will has to work, I told Tiffany to bring one of her friends as referee, as she has brought a female friend of hers named Lyla.

''As soon as one of your Pokémon isn't able to find any further, the game stops,'' Lyla says. ''Trainers ready? Set- Go!''

''Go, Houndour!'' I yell out.

''Aipom, I choose you!'' Tiffany says. I am happy she chose a Pokémon with a normal type, since I will be battling the same type at the gym.

''Use Sand-Attack!'' She screams. Aipom runs towards Houndour and swipes with her tail across the floor, as large amounts of sand drift into Houndour's direction. I can see how she's blinded by the fire.

''Tail Whip, now!'' Aipom continues running towards Houndour and smashes her to the ground with her tail. Houndour immediately jumps up, but is still blinded.

''Use Smog!'' I scream, and a smoggy black fog fills the cage. Now both Pokémon can't see, I realize.

''Ember!'' Houndour uses Ember and based on the painful noises from Aipom, I suggest she's been hit.

''Use Sand-Attack again!'' Tiffany yells. Aipom twirls around, and the sand that gets lifted up blocks the smog. Houndour's eyes are back to normal.

''Leer!'' I tell Houndour, ''and then another Ember!'' Houndour's loud growl causes Aipom to do a few steps back, shifting on her little purple feet, as another load of fire balls then come her way, as the monkey is hit.

''Aipom, get back up and use your Fury Swipes!'' Aipom comes running up to Houndour, faster than I expected, and is able to hit Houndour with a few of her hits, before I tell Houndour to jump aside.

''Use Bite!'' I tell Houndour, ''use Bite on the tail!'' Houndour reacts immediately, goes straight for Aipom's tail and bites herself in it, before swinging Aipom through the Cage. Aipom however gets up, ready for another swing of Fury Swipes.

''Smog!'' I scream. ''And then use Bite once more!''

As the dark cloud has disappeared from the cage, Aipom is laying unconscious on the ground, with Houndour next to her, licking her own wounds.

''Aipom, return!'' Tiffany says disappointed, and after I give Houndour a hug, I also let her return.

''Houndour and Esmond are the winner of this battle!'' Lyla says, a little saddened by the fact that her friend lost.

''Congratulations,'' Tiffany tells me. ''Maybe we'll meet again sometime.'' After the fight, me and Houndour make a short pit-stop at the Pokécenter, but Houndour is out within fifteen minutes.

''You did a great job,'' I tell Houndour when she's being given back to me. ''It's time to challenge the gym.''


End file.
